Old, New Powers to Mix It Up in Basketball Playoffs

Traditional boys’ basketball powers are expected to reign in the Southern Section playoffs--especially in the larger divisions--but the City Section championship race is wide open.

First-round playoff games in both sections are Friday.

The City championship game will be played March 5 at Pauley Pavilion. The Division championship, for schools ranked Nos. 17-32, will be played March 6 at Loyola Marymount.

Ten Southern Section championship games will be played March 5 and 6 at the Bren Events Center in Irvine and the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.

Here is a division-by-division look at the tournaments.

CITY SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP

This could be the best City tournament in years because there is not a dominant team--just several very good ones. Senior forward Joe Shipp has been outstanding all season and sensational down the stretch for top-seeded Fairfax (22-5), which was put on top of the 16-team bracket by virtue of a January victory over second-seeded Manual Arts (23-3). Manual Arts, led by senior guard James Wright, beat fourth-seeded Fremont (23-5), and Fremont beat Fairfax during the regular season. Crenshaw (23-5) is seeded third.

Keep an eye on defending champion Westchester. If junior guard Lou Wright or senior center Chris Osborne get hot, the Comets could be right there.

CITY SECTION DIVISION

Formerly known as the 3-A division, this tournament features the teams ranked Nos. 17-32 in the City Section.

Sharp-shooting Ronald Johnson is the top player for top-seeded South Gate. Granada Hills Kennedy is the second-seeded team, Hamilton is No. 3 and Marshall is No. 4.

SOUTHERN SECTION

* DIVISION I-AA: Defending champion Lakewood Artesia (25-2) is the team to beat, and senior forward Jason Kapono won’t be content unless the Pioneers win the state Division I title as well. Artesia’s only loss to a team from California came against Verbum Dei in the semifinals of the Best in the West tournament in December. Second-seeded Long Beach Poly (20-6) extended powerful Dominguez in a nonleague game a few weeks ago, and the Jackrabbits and point guard Wesley Stokes are likely to earn a return trip to the final to play Artesia.

* DIVISION I-A: Casey Jacobsen, the Southern Section’s all-time leading scorer, leads defending champion Glendora (26-1), which defeated fourth-seeded Pacific (21-4) in last season’s final. Jacobsen is averaging 31 points a game, but he is only one of three Tartan weapons. Forward Chris Clark is an effective scorer inside and out, and his twin brother, Chad, is especially tough from the perimeter. Second-seeded Mater Dei (26-3), third-seeded Simi Valley (24-4) and Pacific might be capable of knocking off Glendora, but if Jacobsen turns it on as he did in last season’s playoffs, it could be a repeat.

* DIVISION II-AA: Transfer-laden Dominguez (23-3) is favored to win its fifth consecutive section title and the Division II state championship. That distinction might belong to second-seeded Redondo Union (19-6) if senior guard Marcus Moore had not left Redondo for Dominguez after leading the Seahawks to the section championship game. No one would like a rematch more than Redondo.

* DIVISION II-A: Top-seeded Inglewood (26-3) has a balanced scoring attack and has proved it can play with the best teams in the section. Now it must hold off a run from 1998 Division II state finalist Santa Margarita (24-2). Third-seeded Pasadena Muir (25-2) has overcome its lack of height to position itself for a run at the title and fourth-seeded Garden Grove Pacifica (25-1), with no starters taller than 6 feet 1, is a threat because of its perimeter game.

* DIVISION III-AA: Top-seeded Torrance Bishop Montgomery (21-4) could begin a three-year reign in this 16-team division if sophomore guards Errick and Derrick Craven, who are twins, play the way they have all season.

* DIVISION III-A: There are only eight teams in this division. Scott Borchart, a sophomore forward for defending champion and top-seeded West Hills Chaminade (21-4), could have four section championships by the time he’s done playing for the Eagles.

* DIVISION IV-AA: Kurt Beimfohr averages 17 points a game for top-seeded Laguna Beach (19-6), but No. 2 Duarte (15-10), No. 3 Twentynine Palms (20-5) and No. 4 Pasadena Marshall (18-6) are all capable of winning this title.

* DIVISION IV-A: Senior guard Marlon Parmer and senior forward Dalron Johnson make top-seeded Verbum Dei (20-7) the favorite to repeat as division and, possibly, state champion. Santa Monica Crossroads (16-8) is talented and hungry, but still possibly a year away from winning this 16-team division.

* DIVISION V-AA: Seniors Koko Archibong and Ryan Haden have led Pasadena Poly (23-0) to its unblemished record, including a victory over defending division and state champion Pacific Hills (20-6), but second-seeded Santa Clara (21-3) has played a tougher schedule and has the talent to match up with the Panthers.

* DIVISION V-A: Fourth-seeded Rolling Hills Prep (12-6) and Santa Barbara Laguna Blanca (19-5) have the experience of playing for the title last season, but this may be the year that a young team from top-seeded Price (24-2) steps up.

Staff writers Paul McLeod and Mike Terry contributed to this story.